1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric generator driven by an air flow and more in particular to a wave-power generator assembly which is driven by an air flow caused by the oceanic wave motion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wave-power generator assemblies are well known in the art. Early wave-power generator assemblies were generally comprised of a generator, a turbine mounted on the rotating shaft of the generator, an air chamber enclosing a volume of air with its bottom defined by the water surface, and a flap valve for regulating the direction of the air flow which is caused by the motion of the water surface inside the air chamber and which is to be supplied to the turbine. Such prior art wave-power generator assemblies were disadvantageous because they required the use of one-way valves such as flap valves and the valves had to be replaced quite often because of rapid wear. They were also disadvantageous from an efficiency viewpoint since they only used either one aspect of up and down motion of the wave in generating electricity.
There was proposed another prior art wave-power generator assembly including a turbine which may be rotated in the same direction irrespective of the direction of the air flow passing across the turbine blades. Such a wave-power generator assembly having a one-way turbine is disclosed, for example, in the U.K. patent application, No. 47365/76, filed Nov. 11, 1977. In this prior art device, since the turbine may be rotated in the same predetermined direction even if the direction of an air flow passing across the turbine blades is reversed, no provision of one-way valves is required and the up and down motion of the wave can be effectively converted into rotary mechanical power as a driving power of an electric generator. However, such a prior art generator assembly having a one-way turbine was not free of disadvantages and further refinement and improvement have been called for in obtaining satisfactory results.